Four Things Money Won't Buy

I've come across a leader recently who has challenged me to think- about what great leaders can offer their people.  Nearly every one of their gifts come as a result of something interior rather than an external gift.  Bonuses are great, don't get me wrong but engaged employees crave so much more.

Dan Pink has essentially mapped the proven data on internal vs. external reward systems in his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.  In short, he shows that high-level work must draw from interior motivation.  The external perks are nice but enduring success must draw from within.

What are the internal gifts that you can give to your people?  Nearly every one is free, including:

1. Courtesy: speaking someone's name when you see them and remembering what's important to them.


2. Gratitude: expressing thanks and appreciation for volunteers or gifts given.


3. Eye contact: showing that you care enough to look someone in the eye.


4. Attention to detail: remembering little things like where a person is from or something that they like.

None of these cost anything.  Each of these is valuable.

Comments

[Bradley J. Moore]

Great book. We read this last year for a little offsite mgmt retreat, and we are still talking about ways to connect with people that are "free", and how we can get better at that. People just want to know that someone cares. That goes far beyond any motivational tricks.